Elevator and support for ceiling and wall board



, April 26, 1949. A, POLLARD v 2,468,230

ELEVATOR AND SUPPORT FORA CEILING AND WALL BOARD Filed April 24, 1946 INVETOR HOWARD A. POLLARD ATTONEIY Patented Apr. 26, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELEVATR AND SUPPORT FOR CEILING AND WALL BOARD 6 Claims.

My invention relates to devices for handling heavy sheet material for application to a ceiling. It is among the objects of my invention to provide a device bywhich large sheets of material, such ,asv fabricated plaster board, may be raised arid held in desired position upon a ceiling, while perr'naneni', securing means are applied to fasten the sheet in place.

-'Another object is to provide a sheet handling device'which will enable a single workman to place and secure heavy sheets of material on a ceiling.

l'other object is to provide a device for handlingsheet material which is eXtensible through awidev range of movement by actuating means operable with an eective mechanical advantage UAnother object is to vprovide a device of the character described having rollers arranged to facilitate the Vmovement of heavy sheets onto the device andjby means of the device, to a'desired position witlriinfa room.

Another object lis to provide a sheet handling dovio h 'oviog Supplementary Wil-ig Supports oporoioiof to sir inoroosoiiiofoafiih of Support Whoo iio frmoiriloiur iS in oxioodosi positionyThe `invention"possesses other objects, some of which with the foregoing will b e set forth at length in theollowing description wherein is exoloirii that 'form of. the invention whioh lios been selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification. In said drawings, one form of the in:- vention is shown, but it is to be understood that itl is not limited to that form, since the inven-` tion as set forth in the claims may be embodied in o plurality of forms 111th@ drowiiigo:

Figure 1 is a side `elevation of the device of my invention in partially extended position, a more vfully extendedposition being indicated in doitesi iifioo.

vFigure 2 is an end elevation of the device as shown in full lines in'Figure 1.

Figure l is a side elevation of the device in collapsed position, portions being broken away.

in terms bro'4 d inclusion, the device of my iov'oioo'oofeofiooo on extensible frame iormooi of plurality of frame sections, pivotally con- Qoioi omotoiiiopt in the manner of lazy tongs heiress. Colleges,

en@ o-ioiioiod position- Tho- 2 firm@ 1.5 Piefabiy @Quilted on Catelrs QI. easy moi/onori@ to a Siooresi. position bol-.ow ooii'ifl and, folliero` oro roouniod'ot tho' iolof. tho .filtros to provide support for a sheet of ceiling material', Aoiuoiins moons..- siloh as o Crook actuated drum and cable, are provided for moving Athe frame sections about their pivot joints tocbtain ah desited. amount 0f extension 0f.. the assembly; lock means, such as a releasable pawl and ratchet, are provided for preventing collapsing movement of the frame sections. My invention also contemplates the provision of Wing extensionsA to broaden the support aorded by the vframe when it is extended. iracing means,` by Which the frame sections may be given rigidity without in, terfering with the relative movement of the frame` sections to and from a fully collapsed position, are also provided. 'x

In terms of greater detail, the device o f my invention comprises a plurality of frame seetioffs each having a pair of side rails l connected at their ends by cross rods 2, and provided with a diagonally disposed brace 3 to give strength and rigidity to.X the frame! The frames are pivotaily joined to formV a fiafmewm'k QX'PUSWE in the manner Qf lazy tongs: To this end, the frames are joined in crossing pairs pivoted upon rods 4 which pass through the points of intersection of the centerlines of thek crossing side rails l, at opposite sides of the frame sections. The pairs of crossing frames are superposed, one upon the other, with the upper ends of the lower set of frame side rails pivoted to the lower ends of the superposed set by means of the cr0 S rods i.. At these points, the rods V2, function both as cross rods, bracing the ends of both Softiorls, and as the pivots upon which the sections move relative to each other.

One of the pivot cross rods 2, by which the4 upper Aand lower frames are pivoted to each other, is providedvvith a drum Q arranged to be rotated bly o Crook i, or other Suitable actuating moore- A capI-eB secured at its center to the center portion oi the drum E, has its ends extended over sheaves i? Stoourod to. the opposite pivot r9@ 2i, and iboooo. @solo to points of attachment Il oo the ranfies near the drum. Aratchet i2 is mouifitf; ed in connection With the 6 for engagement by a iroleasablo pawl I4 pivotoduoon an odia: @ont .Side rail L The lower ends of the side rails of the lower pair of crossing frame sections are provided with casters I6 supporting the frame, and permitting it to be readily rolled to a desired position within a room. The upper ends of the side rails of the upper pair 4of frame sections are provided with rollers Il, journaled upon the upper cross rods 2.

The pivotally joined frame sections may be collapsed to a position, such as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, to form a relatively light and compact unit, which may be readily transported from one place of use to another. 'Ihe diagonal braces 3 are offset suiiciently to clear the center pivot rods 4, the braces of the lower pair of frame sections being arranged to underlie the rod joining those sections, while the braces for the upper pair of frame sections 4overlie the rod 4 joining those sections. This arrangement obviates any obstruction to the movement of the frame sections to and from their extreme collapsed and extended positions.

In use, the frame is extended to a height suited to the convenient placing of a sheet I8 of plaster board or other ceiilng material thereon, as indicated in full lines in Figure 1 of the drawings. This is accomplished by turning the crank 'l to wind in the cable 8 onto the drum 6, thereby drawing the opposite pivot rod 2 toward it. The pawl III and ratchet I2 serves to hold the drum against unwinding rotation.

A sheet I3 of plaster board is placed upon the partially extended frame, where it is supported by the rollers il, which permits the sheet to be readily moved to a substantially balanced position. The frame is then rolled to place the sheet I3 in a desired position immediately below the area to which it is to be applied. The frame is then further extended by winding additional cable onto the drum 6, until the sheet is raised and held in the position where it is to be permanently secured. The side rails i and the pivot joints of the extended frame afford sufficient resilience to permit the sheet I8 to be pressed firmly against the overhead framing, where it is held while the operator applies suitable securing means. After the sheet is fastened in place, the pawl I i is moved out of engagement with the ratchet I2, and the frame is lowered to receive another sheet.

The sheets I8 are usually relatively long, and should be supported at relatively widely spaced points. As .the frame is extended to raise `a sheet to `a ceiling, the width between the rollers I I is progressively lessened, and the stability with which the sheet is supported is correspondingly reduced. Io obtain increased stability in the raised position, I provide wing sections 2| upon the upper pair of crossing frame sections. The wing frames 2! comprise side pieces, pivoted 'as at 22 upon lthe side rai-ls I, and cross rods 23 joining the outer ends of the side pieces. Rollers 2li are preferably mounted on the rods 23 to provide rolling contact with a sheet IS supported on the frame. The wing sections are yieldably supported at their outer ends by springs 25 secured to the adjacent side rails I.

In the collapsed position, .the wing sections 2l are disposed below the rollers I'I, in `an inoperative position. As the frame 'assembly is extended, the wing sections 2| `are swung upwardly until the rollers 24 engage the under side of the sheet I8 and give additional support therefor. As the frame assembly is lfurther raised, the wing sections swing outward-ly under the weight of `the sheet, and against the resistance of the springs 25, suiciently to permit the load to be divided between the rollers 24 and the rollers II, thereby maintaining a stable support for the sheet at all heights.

I claim:

l. A device for handling ceiling material comprising a plurality of frame sections provided with spaced side rails pivotally joined for extending movement in the manner of lazy tongs, crank actuated means for moving the sections between collapsed and extended positions, rollers upon the free ends of the top and bottom sections, and laterally extending wing sections pivoted upon the upper frame sections.

2. A device for handling ceiling material comprising a plurality of frame sections provided with side rails pivotally joined for extending movement in the manner of lazy tongs, means for actuating the sections between collapsed and extended position, extensions pivoted upon the free ends of the side rails of the upper frame sections, and spring means supporting the extensions in outwardly extending relation to the frame sections.

3. A device for handling ceiling material comprising a plurality of frame sections provided with side rails pivotally joined for extending movein the manner of lazy tongs, means for actuating the sections between collapsed and extended position, extensions pivoted upon the free ends of the side rails of the upper frame sections, spring means supporting the extensions in outwardly extending relation to the frame sections, and rollers mounted upon the free ends of the upper frame sections and upon the outer ends of the extensions.

fr. A device for handling ceiling material comprising a plurality of frame sections provided With side rails pivotally joined for extending movement in the manner of lazy tongs, means for actuating the sections between collapsed and eX- tended position, casters upon the lower ends of the side rails of the botto-m frame sections, extensions pivoted upon the free ends of the side rails of the upper frame sections, spring means supporting the extensions in outwardly extending relation to the frame sections, and rollers mounted between the free ends of the side rails of the top frame sections and between the free ends of the extensions carried thereby and positioned to provide a rolling support for ceiling material resting thereon.

5. In a device for handling ceiling material, a plurality of frame sections comprising pairs of spaced parallel side rails arranged in superposed crossing sets, center pivot rods extending through the crossing side rails at opposite sides of each set for pivotally joining the sections at the point of crossing, pivot rods pivotally joining ends of the side rails of the lower set with corresponding ends of the side rails of the upper set, bracing means connecting the free ends of the side rails of each section of each set, and braces extending diagonally from points adjacent one end of each frame section to points adjacent the other end upon the opposite side of the frame section, the diagonal braces of the upper and lower sets being offset to clear the respective center pivots in overlying and underlying relation thereto respectively.

6. A device for handling ceiling material comprising a plurality of frame sections provided with spaced side rails pivotally joined for extending movement in the manner of lazy tongs, crank actuated means for moving the sections between collapsed and extended positions, rollers upon the 6. free ends of the top and bottom sections, laterally Number Name Date extending Wing sections pivoted upon the upper 738 395 Barnes Sept 8 1903 frame sections, and rollers upon the free ends of 1 0782759 Wichert'jg NOV '18 1913 Said Wing Sections- 1357195 Poweu L". oct' 26y 192o HOWARD A- POLLARD 5 1,448,932 Mayhugn Mar. 20, 1923 1,725,329 Blandford Aug. 20, 1929 REFERENCES CITED 1,817,418 Munns Aug. 4, 1931 The following references are 0f record in the 2,176,636 Meacham Oct. 17, 1939 fue of this patent: 2,337,796 Baker et a1 Dec. 28, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 2,370,887 SOSKD. M211', 1945 2,402,579 Ross June 25, 1946 Number Name Date 610,602 Doldt Sept. 13, 1898 

